ENJOY GOD? IT’S A STRETCH
Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Ps. 33:1
God created me for His enjoyment. And He created me to enjoy Him. How am I doing with both of these things? I’ve spent the first part of my life doubting whether or not God loved me like He loved others. Enjoying Him never occurred to me. I feared and served God out of duty. But enjoyed? Not on my radar.
It’s easy to love God from a distance. When He answers my prayers in a way I like, my love feels real. When I wait for an answer, my love can turn into suspicion. When He says no, my love can be buried beneath anger. I memorized Psalm 37:4 as a child. Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Notice that the delight is in the Lord, not in the pleasure I receive from His gifts.
What is the foundation of my enjoyment of God? It’s His enjoyment of me. “We love Him because He first loved us.” That doesn’t mean there’s something deficient in my affection. It merely confirms that God created me to be a responder. He is the Creator. I am the Created. He reached out first. I held out my arms in response. He was the initiator. I was the reciprocator.
If I’m not enjoying God, there are some things I need to consider. I may not really believe God loves me. I can’t be general about this. I need to be specific in all the places I still carry shame and regret. Also, I may not believe the truth about God’s character. Deception causes distrust. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Cor. 11:3 When I believe lies about God, I hide and avoid. I back up. I’m shy of His proclamations of love. Who can enjoy someone you’re unsure of?
Enjoying God is at the epicenter of passion and connection. How to do it is the topic of this series. You can be sure that none of what follows will be abstract. It will be hands on and practical. Ask God to open up the channels from your heart to His because “In His presence is fullness of joy.” Psalm 16:11
If I’m not enjoying You, show me I can. If I don’t want to, pinpoint my objections. Amen
Copyright Christine Inc.
Find more info at: www.daughtersofpromise.org
Originally published Wednesday, 03 July 2019.
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